lyons



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. W. LYONS & 'JL-SHBLDON. CAN OPENER Patented Sept. 14,1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFF CE.

. GEORGE XV. LYONS AND JOHN SHELDON, OF VVATERTOWN, NEV YORK.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,281, dated September 14, 1886.

Application filed August 3, 1886. Serial No. 209,854.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. LYoNs and JOHN SHELDON, both residents of Watertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a'perspective view of our improved can-opener, showing it in operation. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line a: m, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view on line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form of cutter-bearing lever. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the eyebolt for holding the cutter.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Our invention has relation to machines for opening tin cans; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a machine having suitable clamps upon its base for holding a can firmly, and having a cutter secured upon a pivoted lever or crank above the clamps for cutting the top of the can, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates a base, which is preferably mounted upon feet B, although it may be supported in any suitable manner or be secured to a table or shelf, as desired. The upper face of this base-plate is formed with a diametrical groove or recess, 0, having beveled or grooved sides D, and having a smaller groove, E, in its bottom, and a bearing, F, is formed in the middle of this groove, and has the smooth middle of a right-and-left-hand screw, G, journaled in it. Two clamping-blocks, H H, slide upon the face of the base-plate and have their inner faces, 1, formed angular, and the under sides of these blocks are provided with reduced portions J, fitting and sliding in the diametrical recess, being shaped corresponding to the shape of the recess, and the smaller portions K of the said reduced portions, which (N0 model.)

fit in the groove in the bottom of the recess, are formed with screw-threaded perforations L, which fit upon the ends of the right-andleft-hand screw. One end of the screw projects out at the end of the groove and is provided with a handle or crank, M, by means of which the screw may be turned. An upright, N, projects from thebase-plate, and has one end bent in over the center of the base-plate, and this inwardly-bent end is formed with an up-' Wardly-projecting pin, 0, having a split key, P, or similar fasteningat its upper end. A lever, Q, has an upwardly-projecting handle, R, at one end and a vertical perforation, S, at its other end, and this lever is formed with vertical perforations or bearings T, arranged in a series or row, and fitting upon the upwardly-projecting pivotal pin, so that the perforated end of the lever may be adjusted at difierent distances from the pivotal pin. A cutter, U, having a pointed and double-edged lower end, V, slides in the vertical perfora tion of the lever with its shank, and may be adjusted in the perforation and held by means of a set-screw, W, fitting through the end of the lever, and the upper end of the handle is formed with a round knob or handle, X.

When the machine is to be used, the can is clamped between the clamping-blocks by placing it upon the base-plate and drawing the blocks together by means of the screw, and it will be seen that a can of any shape may be clamped on account of the angular inner faces of the clamping-blocks, which may bear against the corners of a can, as well as against the round sides of a cylindrical can. The lever is now adjusted upon the pivotal pin with the perforation or hearing, which will bring the cutter to stand over the line in the top of the can at which it is desired to make the cut, and the cutter is thereupon driven through the top of the can by a blow upon the knob or handle, whereupon it is adjusted by means of the set-screw at its proper height. By now revolving the lever by its handle the cutter will cut a circular out, leaving a small portion uncut of the width of the projecting arm of the upright, by which uncut portion the loosened portion of the top will be connected to the top. It will thus be seen that the machine may be used with cans of any shape or size, the angular faces of the clamping-blocks allowing them to hold any shape and size of can, and the cutter bearing arm may be adjusted to bring the cutter at any point of the top of the can, and the cutter may be adjusted to reach a can of any height, so that the machine may be used with cans of all shapes and sizes.

111 Figs. 5, 6, and 7 is shown a modified form offastening for the cutter, which does away with the vertical perforations in the lever or arm for the pivotal bolt, the lever in this case being pivoted upon the pivotal bolt with one perforation or hearing, remaining upon the bolt with this bearing. The end of the lever in which the cutter is secured is formed with a longitudinal recess, Y, which opens at the upper and under side of the lever through longitudinal slots Z Z, narrower than the recess, and through one side with a longitudinal slot, A, narrower than the depth of the re cess, the edges of the Slots forming flanges at the sides of the recess, and a rectangular head, B, having a perforation, C, for the reception of the shank of the cutter, slides within the recess, and has its screw-threaded shank 1) projecting out through the slot in the side of the arm and provided with a thumb-nu E. The shank of the cutter passes through the perforated head and slides in the slots in the upper and under sides of the lever, and it will be seen that by sliding the perforated head in the recess the cutter may be adjusted at any distance from the pivotal point, and may be secured by tightening the thumb-nut upon the threaded shank, the head and the shank of the cutter being thereby drawn toward the flanges of the slots at one side of the lever, bindingthe block within the recess and the shank against the side flanges of the upper and lower slots.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a can-opener, the combination of a base plate having means for clamping a can, and having an upright having its upper end bent inward over the center of the base-plate, and having an upwardly-proiecting pivotal pin or bolt, with a lever having a series of perforations or bearings for fitting upon the pin, and provided with a handle at one end, and with a downwardly-proiecting cutter at the other end, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

2. In a can-opener, the combination of a base-plate formed with a diametrical recess having grooved sides and a groove in its bottom, a right-and-left-hand screw rigidlyjournaled with its smooth middle at the middle of the groove of the recess and having a handle or crank at one end, and clamping-blocks having angular inner faces and reduced portions fitting and sliding in the recess, and formed with screw-threaded perforations for the right and-left hand screw, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatu res in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE \V. LYONS. JOHN SHELDON.

\Vitnesses:

Gnonon Hickey, FRANCIS Donns. 

